Fretboard Journal Live: Blake Mills

For this installment of Fretboard Journal Live, we talk to stellar producer/session musician/singer-songwriter Blake Mills about his album, 'Heigh Ho,' gear and more. We also hear three tunes from his new album: "If I'm Unworthy," "Don't Tell Our Friends About Me," and "Cry to Laugh."
Gear discussion starts at 30:00.
Technical note: Apologies for the clipping / audio issues -- this was a live production and we were unable to dial in the audio before going live. We've reposted the songs as individual videos with better audio on KZbin.
Look for a major feature on Blake in the Fretboard Journal's 34th issue.
Fretboard Journal Live is proudly sponsored by our friends at Martin Guitar.

[@JonSebastianF]

05:07 If I'm Unworthy 25:10 Don't Tell Our Friends About Me 55:57 Cry to Laugh

[@nclempark1]

when he plays "if im unworthy" he adjusted the volume nob as he playing. I mean the amount of mental power it takes to play like that, sing, and change the guitar volume, and do it that beautifully, is beyond belief. He is a true musical rarity. Cheers, I'm obsessed.

[@emdblues]

nclempark1 most players do that, it's like a second nature after some time. Not that big of a deal, but yes, he's a genius musician.

[@joshb8976]

He is definitely one of the best guitarists I've ever seen in my life.

[@chrisjacobie2260]

Blake, I'm an upright bass player. Here's a tip for dealing with hollowbody feedback: Connect a DI with a polarity switch somewhere in the path between your guitar and amp. If your hollowbody starts to take off, flip the switch. Changing the relationship between the speaker and the vibrating top of the instrument usual takes care of the problem.

[@justinmartindale6855]

Chris J fantastic tip.

[@CaptainJazz262]

Damn, I shouldn't have sold my archtop

[@glimmertwin1977]

After watching Blake's lesson on "Guitar Power" it's clear that the study he was doing on Howlin Wolf's Forty Four was what turned into that first song. Really cool to see that.

[@Sasketchejuana_man]

I knew I'd heard it somewhere... I thought it was derek trucks but I remember now derek had a part in his live set where they covered 44 as well and he brought on a short scale silvertone..

[@stevearle]

Ry Cooder w/ jazz chops!...seriously, I would not want to pigeon hole this fine player who has obviously done some homework but sounds new, fresh.& deep. Rare indeed.

[@daleturner]

That "Cry to Laugh" performance at 55:57 just KILLED me. Amazing stuff... (the entire vid). Thank you for sharing!

[@matttorres8921]

I really enjoy seeing interviews with Blake, you guys asked great questions. Love that interviews like this that light a creative fire under my ass. Blake's playing is so unique, and the tunings blow my mind sometimes. I could only wish to be this connected to my guitar.

[@dandrury]

Great songs stand up at any volume. Total inspiration. Amazing stuff!! 👍🏻👍🏻🤘✌️

[@Sasketchejuana_man]

good luck to the engineer riding the compression levels in the studio... dudes music is so dynamic.. soft then loud.. I'm sitting here riding the youtube volume fader the whole time just to balance it out somewhat lol

[@MariJu1ce]

This recording was horrible tho. And thats one thing what compressors are for. So you dont have to ride it manually

[@PastaPatate]

I remember thinking where did he learn to play like this. Great info about Bob Brozman.

[@OrphanRecordingHX]

This man was surely grown in a lab funded by musical X-Men. Game changer.

[@TreSneaky]

Blake is starting to a bit like the child of Frusciante and Klinghoffer, I love it. Every web series he is on his playing style is completely different. People will talk about him the way they talk about Hendrix and SRV one day.

[@adamsankowski9233]

Hey Fretboard journal, how about having camera shots of the fretboard throughout? I'm sorry, not watching this to see what Blake looks like when he sings. Far too few actually shot/ close ups of the guitar. This is titled "the fretboard journal" right? :) Man, Blake is amazing...

[@GlennMichaelThompson]

It's interesting how you mention that the pickup's sound out of phase when played together w/ the coodercaster.I was playing a Gibson Barney Kessel and found it had a throaty vocal phased sound with both pickups on. I don't know if you get a similar tonal change with the Barney?

[@attarzz]

RIP headphone user

[@ostensible7197]

worth it

[@xDooksx]

So, I'm probably the only one that has noticed Blake's clothes are color coordinated with the room.

[@mshedg]

Sweet! Blake is the real deal!

[@googleexgreecian]

What is that device on top of his fender. It looks like a mixer and sounds like it has a leslie effect on it.

[@rodolfolarrea8493]

blake is a such a great player ...

[@spawn1lts]

i like his pinky on the volume

[@GuillermoCarrasco]

Thanks...!

[@Whitehawkvisionfilms]

Why do y'all never list the instruments in the info box? Please list them!

[@jimifopp145]

49:58 "I'm a huge fan of ????'s pianoplaying," Can someone pls help me out here? I can't hear which pianist he's mentioning, he tends to mumble a little too much sometimes :)

[@beepbeepboopboop933]

I think he said Randy Newman

[@spawn1lts]

legendary performance

[@PIPA1302]

fucking amazing.....one of a kind

[@h.j.w2783]

can someone please tell me who he says at 15:14, when he's referencing middle eastern music. sounds like glant bachon? which obviously isn't right.

[@jomamahan]

ali akbar khan

[@anthonymoroneygodzil]

jomamahan admiral 'trap' ackbar

[@outerloop]

Dudes a badass!!!

[@aworldwithoutzinc3828]

fretboard journal the sound on this video is frigged right up

[@Massigangster]

Hey all! What is the name of this band Blake talks about, the Irish one at 46:25

[@h.j.w2783]

Zucchero. Italian singer/songwriter. Blake played on the album 'La Sesión Cubana'.

[@Massigangster]

Thank you! Amazing!

[@TomHollandGuitar]

This guy is the fucking man

[@tikeanderson]

What kind of 'caster are they calling that?

[@h.j.w2783]

coodercaster. check out Ry Cooder, phenomenal guitarist who Blake draws a lot of inspiration from. he was the first to have a guitar made up like this.

[@tikeanderson]

Thanks! I did figure it out after posting this. After hearing Blake play Jesus On The Mainline I realized what they were saying was Cooder... Duh!

[@h.j.w2783]

tike anderson you heard Blake play 'Jesus On The Mainline'? Where? Gotta see this. I love that song.

[@tikeanderson]

Actuall about 9:00 in sorry....

[@bkw1952]

That is a kinda "Coodercaster" ala Ry with a lap steel pickup at the bridge and a Teisco style foil at the neck

[@AndrewSchwartzenberger]

Is it just me, or does his Twitter handle, "@BreakMirrors," sound like how an Asian American with a super heavy accent would pronounce "Blake Mills?" (It's probably the case that I'm late to the joke party).

[@joshuamagee5505]

I think on his website there was an interview with Jeff Bridges where he said that's exactly how he got the name of the record. Weird, huh?

[@AndrewSchwartzenberger]

Makes me laugh that THAT'S how he came up with the name! Friends and I occasionally try to change all of our "l's" to "r's" just for kicks. (Not very PC, I know). So, when I read "Break Mirrors," I just started cracking up.

[@VillageGuitarAmpCoSaskatoon]

I alway get a kick out of Music related shows that can't do a good job of recording audio. I think you might be missing the point.

[@fretboardjournal]

We do the show on a shoestring budget (we're a print magazine, not a recording studio) but we're working on improving our audio setup. Thanks for the feedback!

[@AndrewSchwartzenberger]

Fretboard Journal You guys do an awesome job, keep it up!

[@simpsimpson5175]

+Fretboard Journal Just buy a decent Mic. You can get a chinese clone for about 100 clam$. Blake looks like he has plenty of mic pre amps behind him.. I mean how hard is it? ;)

[@DaytonBrock]

+Village Guitar & Amp Co. ass

[@nickb3250]

+Village Guitar & Amp Co. No kidding. What a bummer.

[@tde1873]

I think some people might be interested in seeing the whole guitar while he is playing, bad directing

[@user-ju7ze9to4k]

Ho. Ly. Fuck. I’m gonna sell my guitars...

[@VisionaryCompanion]

Something went wrong with the song, "Don't Tell Our Friends About Me." I can't possibly be the only person who noticed.

[@weismannstig]

I heard it too...

[@cartertrobinson]

He knows he fucked up

[@torontolarrivee7965]

+VisionaryCompanion I just listened intently and didn't notice anything going wrong -- what are we talking about here?

[@VisionaryCompanion]

+TorontoLarrivee The descending chord pattern has a chord voicing at the end, in which there is a note that I am certain that the guitarist does not intend to play, and it is discordant.

[@torontolarrivee7965]

hmm can you give me a time stamp? curious because it'll bug me if I didn't perceive that. :)

[@njmikec]

Talking about music is like knitting about poetry. Play some music.

[@aikoshimada3167]

you've not knitted about poetry? do tell...

[@drobat1]

The host is VERY boring and looks like he needs a nap.

[@JDChicago]

Are people just looking for someone to play like they remember the Grateful Dead with a little bit of The Band thrown in? I just don't see how this moves guitar playing forward.

[@jeffreysbrother]

“Dentist or a lawyer” jealous much? LOL.